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Thursday, 20 February 2014

Pâtisserie Viennoise

Pâtisserie Viennoise is a cute little establishment tucked away nearby the School of Medicine in the Latin Quarter / Saint Germain area (look out for the street art). I was first introduced to this place by some Frenchies (always a good sign) and was impressed to see that it still remains very authentic even today, ie reasonable (non-tourist) prices that are displayed on a little poster stuck on the wall, not much English spoken and old un-updated decor.

Don't worry about the lack of English spoken here, just smile and point/gesture at what you'd like then say merci!

Old school decor fills the little café and you really feel like you've stepped back in time, to someone's grandma's place (but really back to someone's grandma's place, not back to someone's hipster grandma's place).

I ordered my favourite combination - their pure hot chocolate and a pastry. The little hot chocolate was only 3€ and the croissant-shaped pain au chocolat aux amandes only 1.60€, a real bargain for dining in prices.

Pâtisserie Viennoise's hot chocolate is one of my favourites. When I want something sweet and decadent with fancy tea salon interiors, I go to Angelina. When I want something experimental with modern minimalist decor, I go to Jean-Paul Hévin. When I want something low key and unassuming, I go to, Pâtisserie Viennoise. Their hot chocolate is dark and unsweetened. Slightly bitter, more cocoa, less sugar (which is why it is always accompanied by two cubes of sugar for you to add). I tend to prefer it without sugar because it goes with my sweet pastry better that way.

My favourite French pastry ever is the croissant aux amandes. I've had A LOT of these in my time in Paris! The closest I could find here was the pain au chocolat aux amandes - at first I thought it was a croissant aux amandes by its shape, but it is in fact a pain au chocolat aux amandes. It was beautifully chewy and with a slightly crunchy consistency around the edges to go with the unsweetened hot chocolate (normally a pain au chocolat aux amandes is puffier and not as flat and densely packed). If only they sold the croissant aux amandes here too! Would have been perfect, you can really tell a good almond croissant by its light flaky exterior, chewy crunchy edges and it's soft almond meal centre. But to be honest, the pain au chocolat aux amandes hit the spot anyway.

You can also opt for cream on top of your hot chocolate, I've seen it piled up ridiculously high and overflowing but here, I prefer it without cream and without sugar. Simple, modest and unaltered, just like the establishment.

11 comments:

Oh gosh I think Guillaume had me try an almond croissant for the first time in my last month in Paris, which is too bad cos I really liked it and this post is giving me cravings!! Haha. So when I visit, you have to take me here cos everything looks yummy, and wherever it is you think has the best croissant aux amandes ;)

Oh NO! On your last month in Paris..!? Don't worry, when you are back we can definitely stuff ourselves with almond croissants - I've even found ones with chocolate inside or pistachio paste inside OR..get this, nutella inside!

Comme ils disent par chez toi… No worries ! and by the way… Almond croissants and chocolate croissants are usually croissants and chocolate croissants that were not sold the day before… So they are basicaly old ones turned into brand new ones with a good almond greasy taste :) No waste !

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I'm a 31 year old half Chinese, half Vietnamese, Adelaide-born Australian who, for some reason can't seem to keep still.

I have a love for food, languages, writing (in secret until now), travelling and all the little things that crop up in between..!

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